Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar landed in Jeddah on Monday to attend the 21st Extraordinary Session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers, with the worsening situation in Gaza at the top of the agenda.
Dar was received at King Abdulaziz International Airport by Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to OIC Ambassador Fawad Sher, Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ahmad Farooq, and Consul General Khalid Majid.
The OIC gathering comes at a critical time as Israel intensifies its military campaign in Gaza. According to the Foreign Office (FO), the meeting will deliberate on “coordinated responses to Israel’s ongoing aggression, proposed plans for full military control of Gaza, and continued violations of Palestinian rights.”
Dar is expected to reaffirm Pakistan’s unwavering support for the Palestinian cause and strongly reject Israel’s plan to seize Gaza. He will also push for the immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces and unhindered humanitarian assistance to Palestinians.
The FO said Pakistan’s position remains consistent: supporting a permanent ceasefire, restoration of Palestinians’ legitimate rights, and recognition of their statehood. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif recently welcomed the UN Security Council’s resolution demanding a ceasefire, though Pakistan had earlier expressed frustration when a similar measure was vetoed.
During his two-day stay, Dar will also hold bilateral talks with leaders of OIC member states.
Gaza crisis escalates
Israeli forces have returned to Jabalia in northern Gaza, announcing plans to expand operations further. Meanwhile, the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) has placed Gaza at Level 5 – “catastrophic hunger” – with one in four residents starving. The Gaza Health Ministry reports 289 deaths due to hunger and malnutrition, including 115 children.
On August 8, Israel’s security cabinet approved a five-point plan for “defeating Hamas,” which includes a strategy to take control of Gaza City and displace its population southwards. The plan has faced global criticism, with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer warning it will “only bring more bloodshed.” Australia, Finland, and Turkey have also opposed the move.
OIC’s stance
Founded in 1969, the OIC represents 47 Muslim-majority countries across four continents, making it the world’s second-largest international body after the UN. Earlier this month, it drafted a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, which was blocked at the UN Security Council.
In its official statement, the OIC condemned what it calls the “genocide in Gaza” and demanded an end to Israeli aggression against civilians in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem.
